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Cat Cairn is a cairn located in Kincardineshire, Scotland, and is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. The monument stands on bedrock of the Argyll Group, a sequence of metamorphic rocks formed during the Neoproterozoic era. These ancient psammites, semipelites and pelites—metamorphosed sandstones, siltstones and mudstones—form the underlying geology of this part of the northeast Scottish Highlands.
Cairns of this type were constructed during the Bronze Age as burial monuments, though some may have served ritual or ceremonial functions. They typically comprised stone heaps built over primary burials, often containing cremated remains and grave goods. The construction of such monuments required considerable labour and community organisation, indicating the significance of those interred within them.
The name Cat Cairn reflects local nomenclature, though the origin of this particular designation is not recorded. The monument's survival in the Kincardineshire landscape represents an important archaeological record of Bronze Age funerary practice in northeast Scotland. Its scheduling under Historic Environment Scotland ensures its protection for future study and preservation.
Cat Cairn, cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4125. View the official record →
Cat Cairn is a cairn located in Kincardineshire, Scotland, and is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4125.
Cat Cairn, cairn is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM4125.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Loirston Country Park, cairn and dyke 220m NE of Cat Cairn (0.2 km), Baron's Cairn, cairn (0.8 km), Tullos Cairn, cairn (1.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Cat Cairn, cairn's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Cat Cairn, cairn stands on Argyll Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is psammite, semipelite and pelite.